Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1887-07-14

ter's illness, and that will enable me 10
adopt toward her the only treat
ment by which it is possible she can re-
covcr.n
Mrs. Rutland brought down the desk
md the key. In the mothers presence
Dr. Daincourt opened the desk There
were in it no letters from Edward Layton.
but It contained two of what Mrs. Rut.
land called the mystery letters which
Eustace was in the habit OF writing TO his
sister. These letters were in their en-
velopes. the post marks upon which indi-
Gated their order of delivery.
DIR. Daincourt could make nothing of
them, and Mrs. Rutland could not assist
MN. They were written upon small single
sheets On note paper, and appeared to be a
perfect tumble of incomprehensiblc words.
Around the margin of these words were a
number of figures and alphabetical letters
as incomprehensible as themselves.
searching further in the desk, he made a
startling discovery--thrcc PLAYING cards.
each of them being the nine of hearts. He
asked Mrs. Rutland-who appeared TO be
almost as startled rs nc was himself by
the discovcry-whethcr she could give
hl.n any explanation OF the cards and she
rud that she could not Then DIR. Dain-
'ourt said that he would take the
playing cards and the letters away with
him.
AT the same time" he observed to
Mrs. Rutland, "if IL is any consolation To
you, undertake your daughters case and
will do the best for her that lies within
my skill and power"
He then went to see Miss Rutlnnd In
her bed, wrote out prescription. gave
certain instructions and then left the
house.
II have come to you," said DR.. Dain-
court TO me, with these letters and the
playing cards; will leave them with
you. You said that the nine Of hearts
was n tangible link in the chain of Ed
waru l.aytons innocence. Is it not most
mysterious and strange that three of these
identical cards should he found in Miss
Rutlands desk and that one should be
found III the pocket of Edward Layton,s
ulster which he wore ON the Sjth of
March, Does not this circumstance.
IN connection with what you now know
of Mabel Rutland's movements on that
night, go far TO prove that the lady whom
Edward Layton met in Bloomsbury square
was none other than his old sweethenrtp
Heaven knows what conclusions are 10 be
drawn from the coincidence. will make
no comments; indeed, almost trcmblc to
THINK Of the matter. Your legal mind will
perhaps enable you TO deduce something
from Eustace's letter 10 his sister which
may DC OF service to you and Edward
Layton. To me they arc simply incom-
prehcnsiblc. Before l visit Miss Rutland
tomorrow will call on you. You mny
have something to say to me. I sincerely
trust shall not be the means of bringing
fresh trouble upon her and hers"
Win that he wished me good night, and
was left alone
set myself sedulously to the task of
discovering che key to these mysterious
letters.
DR. DaincoIrt had not opened the two
sealed letters which had arrived during
Miss Rutlnnd's Illness, and did not i'm.
mediately do so.
lelt delicacy with respect to Edward
Lnyton's letter TO the young lady which
he had given me i'll prison to post for
him.
put them aside, md selecting the first
or the two letters from Eustace Rut-
land which had been found in Mabcl's
desk Judging from The postmarks en-
their envelopes which of the two
she Ind first received, for they bore
no date, devoted myself to n study of
it. -
This is IN exact copy OF the singular
communication, tho size OF the paper and
the arrangement of the words, and of the
figures and alphabetical letters, being
faithfully followed:
20 Y c IL IL l. T.
: face birds the starcs :
in runs back got
in your hundred scno
trees the money won are
death river diamond gayIy nU =
on bracelet four singing
instantly chorry tie the
= 81 N OF Il CT A y q
1t appeared to me that the first thing I
had to consider was the relation, IF any.
that the alphabetical letters and figures
~ 70 L. a